The present invention relates to a coping jig for use in woodworking. More specifically, the present invention relates to a coping jig having removable pattern templates that are usable in guiding the cutting path of a router to form a desired end shape for forming an inside corner from decorative molding.
Decorative molding is used in the construction industry as finished trim on a wall adjacent either the floor or ceiling or between the floor and ceiling as a xe2x80x9cchair railxe2x80x9d. Typically, the decorative molding has an irregular cross-section including a series of ribs and curved recesses which form an aesthetically pleasing design for the molding.
When the molding along a wall meets at an inside corner of a room, a finish carpenter is required to hand carve or use a coping saw to form an end of the molding such that one section of molding mates against the opposing section on the perpendicular wall. Merely cutting the molding at a 45xc2x0 angle does not form a clean corner due to the irregular cross-section of typical decorative molding. The process of cutting the end of one section of molding requires the carpenter to trace the profile of the molding onto the end of the molding to be cut and repeatedly test the piece against the molding already extending into the corner. In a large house with a substantial amount of molding, or when fitting an intricate molding, this process can significantly increase the amount of time required to fully trim out a house with decorative molding.
The procedure of coping molding is an exacting process, requiring a high degree of care and the skills of an experienced carpenter. Moreover, the process is time-consuming. As each corner requires a piece of molding to have a negative image of the profile of the molding cut into its end and checked for fit and, quite often, modified one or more times, coping creates high demands on the skilled labor resources.
Currently, several coping jigs are available for directing the travel of a router to create the desired profile in a piece of molding, such as shown in the Dickey et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,279, the Sanger et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,001 and the Darling U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,402. Although each of these patents uses some type of pattern to guide the bit of a router in forming the edge surface of a piece of trim, each of these devices is cumbersome and requires generally large pieces of equipment that must be independently supported by a work table or mounted to some type of support surface in order to operate. Further, each of these devices requires a complicated guide plate assembly to guide the router along the desired path of the molding.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coping jig that is easy to operate and self-contained such that it can be used at a work site. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coping jig that angles the plane of the router to create a back cut in the section of molding being cut. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coping jig that allows for easy removal and creation of templates to create the desired cut on the section of molding. Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coping jig that securely holds a section of molding in place during the cutting process.
The present invention is a coping jig that is used for guiding a router in making a precision cut along an end of a section of molding such that the molding can be used to form an inside corner.
The coping jig of the present invention includes a stationary base having a pair of sidewalls joined together by a generally flat, horizontal molding stage. The molding stage is positioned to support a section of decorative molding to be end cut by a router. The molding stage includes a stop rail extending along one of its side edges. The stop rail is used to contact and prevent movement of a section of molding to be cut by the router during use of the coping jig.
The base further includes a pair of clamping blocks that extend through the top surface of the molding stage. Each of the clamping blocks is movable toward and away from the stop rail such that the clamping blocks can be adjusted to securely hold a section of molding positioned on the molding stage between the stop rail and the clamping block.
The coping jig further includes a template platform that is mounted above the molding stage. The template platform includes a pair of parallel, spaced side rails that are joined to each other by a top plate. The template platform extends between a first end and a second end. The template platform is constructed to receive a template on either its first end or second end, depending upon the requirements of the type of molding being cut.
The template platform is mounted above the molding stage of the base by a plurality of resilient mounting members. The mounting members create an open space between the molding stage and the template platform for receiving a section of molding to be end cut. The resilient mounting members allow the vertical position of the template platform to change relative to the stationary molding stage. Additionally, the resilient mounting members allow the angular orientation of the template platform relative to the molding stage to change.
A pair of locking members are positioned between the sidewalls of the base and the side rails of the template platform. The locking members are each operable to secure the template platform at a desired angle relative to the stationary base. Preferably, the locking members include a handle that allow the user to tighten the locking members and secure the template platform at its desired angular position.
The template platform includes at least one template having the trim pattern for the decorative molding formed being end cut along one of its edge surfaces. The trim pattern formed on the template allows the router to follow the edge surface of the template while making an identical cut in a section of molding positioned beneath the template. Each of the templates is removable from the template platform and can be reversed and attached to the opposite end of the template platform.
Initially, a pattern section of molding is created by hand or other means and is positioned within the coping jig beneath an uncut, blank template. Once the pattern section of molding is secured within the coping jig, the router is used to follow the end pattern on the pattern section while cutting the identical trim pattern into the blank template positioned above the pattern section of molding. Once the trim pattern has been cut into the template, the pattern section of molding is removed from the jig.
Once the trim pattern has been formed on the template, the coping jig can be used to cut the desired end pattern onto uncut sections of molding. During creation of the end cut on a section of molding, the template platform is positioned at a slight angle relative to the molding stage such that a back cut is formed on the end of the decorative molding.
The templates used to create the end cuts in a section of molding include a pair of edge surfaces that can each include a separate trim pattern. In this manner, a single template can be used to create an end cut on multiple types of decorative molding. Additionally, each of the templates is reversible such that a single template can be used to cut both the right and left end of a section of molding.